Tag: space

Most people have two eyes. Humans evolved to use them together (not all animals do). People form a continuous, stereoscopic panorama movie of the world within in their minds. With your two eyes tilted upward on a clear night, there’s nothing standing between you and the universe. The easiest way to enhance your enjoyment of the night sky is to paint your brain with two channels of stronger starlight with a pair of binoculars. Even if you live in — or near — a large, light-polluted city, you may be surprised at how much astronomical detail you’ll see through the right binoculars!

Our editors have looked at the spectrum of current binocular offerings. Thanks to computer-aided design and manufacturing, there have never been more high-quality choices at reasonable prices. Sadly, there’s also a bunch of junk out there masquerading as fine stargazing instrumentation. We’ve selected a few that we think will work for most skywatchers.

There was a lot to consider: magnification versus mass, field of view, prism type, optical quality (“sharpness”), light transmission, age of the user (to match “exit pupil” size, which changes as we grow older), shock resistance, waterproofing and more. To choose binoculars for yourself, check out our Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose Binoculars for Stargazing.

The best binoculars for you

“Small” astronomy binoculars would probably be considered “medium” for bird watching, sports observation and other terrestrial purposes. This comes about as a consequence of optics (prism type and objective size, mostly). “Large” binoculars are difficult to use for terrestrial applications and have a narrow field of view. They begin to approach telescope quality in magnification, resolution and optical characteristics.

Most of our Editors’ Choicesfor stargazing binoculars here are under $300. You can pay more than 10 times that for enormous binocular telescopes used by elite enthusiasts on special mounts! You’ll also pay more for ruggedized (“mil spec,” or military standard) binoculars, many of which suspend their prisms on shock mounts to keep the optics in precise alignment.

Also, our Editors’ Choices use Porro prism optics. Compact binoculars usually employ “roof” prisms, which can be cast more cheaply, but whose quality can vary widely. [There’s much more about Porro prisms in our Buyer’s Guide.]

We think your needs are best served by reviewing in three categories.

• Small, highly portable binoculars can be hand-held for viewing ease.
• Medium binoculars offer higher powers of magnification, but still can be hand-held, if firmly braced.
• Large binoculars have bigger “objective” lenses but must be mounted on a tripod or counterweighted arm for stability.

Here’s a detailed look at our Editor’s Choice selections for stargazing binoculars:

Best Small Binoculars

Credit: Space.com/Jeremy Lips

Editor’s Choice: Oberwerk Mariner 8×40 (Cost: $150)

Oberwerk in German means “above work.” The brand does indeed perform high-level optical work, perfect for looking at objects above, as well as on the ground or water. Founder Kevin Busarow’s Mariner series is not his top of the line, but it benefits greatly from engineering developed for his pricier models. The Oberwerk 8×40’s treat your eyes to an extremely wide field, at very high contrast, with razor-sharp focus; they are superb for observing the broad starscapes of the Milky Way. Just 5.5 inches (14 cm) from front to back and 6.5 inches wide (16.5 cm), the Mariners are compact and rugged enough to be your favorite “grab and go binoculars.” But at 37 ounces, they may be more than a small person wants to carry for a long time. 

Runner-Up: Celestron Cometron 7×50 (Cost: $30)

Yes, you read that price correctly! These Celestron lightweight, wide-field binoculars bring honest quality at a remarkably low price point. The compromise comes in the optics, particularly the prism’s glass type (you might see a little more chromatic aberration around the edges of the moon, and the exit pupil isn’t a nice, round circle). Optimized for “almost infinitely distant” celestial objects, these Cometrons won’t focus closer than about 30 feet (9.1 meters).  But that’s fine for most sports and other outdoor use. If you’re gift-buying for multiple young astronomers – or you want an inexpensive second set for yourself – these binoculars could be your answer. Just maybe remind those young folks to be a little careful around water; Celestron claims only that the Cometrons are “water resistant,” not waterproof. 

Honorable Mention: Swarovski Habicht 8×30 (Cost: $1,050)

From the legendary Austrian firm of Swarovski Optik, these “bins” are perfect. Really. Very sharp. Very lightweight. Very wide field. Very versatile. And very expensive! Our editors would have picked them if we could have afforded them. 

Editor’s Note: These binoculars are not widely available. We suggest this very similar instrument:

Honorable Mention: Nikon Aculon 7×50 (Cost: $110) 

Nikon‘s legendary optical quality and the large, 7mm exit pupil diameter make these appropriate as a gift for younger skywatchers. 

Best Medium Binoculars

Credit: Space.com/Jeremy Lips

Editor’s Choice: Celestron SkyMaster 8×56 (Cost: $210)

A solid, chunky-feeling set of quality prisms and lenses makes these binoculars a pleasant, 38oz. handful. A medium wide 5.8 degrees filed of view and large 7mm exit pupil brings you gently into a sweet sky of bright, though perhaps not totally brilliant, stars. Fully dressed in a rubber wetsuit, these SkyMasters are waterproof. Feel free to take them boating or birding on a moist morning. Their optical tubes were blown out with dry nitrogen at the factory, then sealed. So you can expect them not to fog up, at least not from the inside. Celestron’s strap-mounting points on the Skymaster 8×56 are recessed, so they don’t bother your thumbs, but that location makes them hard to fasten. 

Runner-Up: Oberwerk Ultra 15×70 (Cost: $380)

The most rugged pair we evaluated, these 15x70s are optically outstanding. Seen through the Ultra’s exquisitely multi-coated glass, you may find yourself falling in love with the sky all over again. Oberwerk’s method of suspending their BAK4 glass Porro prisms offers greater shock-resistance than most competitors’ designs. While more costly than some comparable binoculars, they deliver superior value. Our only complaint is with their mass: At 5.5 lbs., these guys are heavy!  You can hand-hold them for a short while, if you’re lying down. But they are best placed on a tripod, or on a counterweighted arm, unless you like shaky squiggles where your point-source stars are supposed to be. Like most truly big binoculars, the eyepieces focus independently; there’s no center focus wheel. These “binos” are for true astronomers. 

Honorable Mention: Vixen Ascot 10×50 (Cost:$165)

These quirky binoculars present you with an extremely wide field. But they are not crash-worthy – don’t drop them in the dark – nor are they waterproof, and the focus knob is not conveniently located. So care is needed if you opt for these Vixen optics. 

Best Large Binoculars

Editors’ Choice: Celestron SkyMaster 25×100 (Cost: $300)

Credit: Space.com/Jeremy Lips

Don’t even think about hand-holding this 156-ounce beast! The SkyMaster 25×100 is really a pair of side-by-side 100mm short-tube refractor telescopes. Factor the cost of a sturdy tripod into your purchase decision, if you want to go this big.  The monster Celestron comes with a sturdy support spar for mounting. Its properly multi-coated optics will haul in surprising detail from the sky.  Just make sure your skies are dark; with this much magnification, light pollution can render your images dingy. As with many in the giant and super-giant class of binoculars, the oculars (non-removable eyepieces) focus separately, each rotating through an unusually long 450 degrees.  Getting to critical focus can be challenging, but the view is worth it. You can resolve a bit of detail on face of the new moon (lit by “Earthshine”) and pick out cloud bands on Jupiter; tha’s pretty astonishing for binoculars. 

Runner-Up: Orion Astronomy 20×80 (Cost: $150)

These big Orions distinguish themselves by price point; they’re an excellent value. You could pay 10 times more for the comparably sized Steiners Military Observer 20×80 binoculars! Yes, the Orions are more delicate, a bit less bright and not quite as sharp. But they do offer amazingly high contrast; you’ll catch significant detail in galaxies, comets and other “fuzzies.” Unusually among such big rigs, the Astronomy 20×80 uses a center focus ring and one “diopter” (rather than independently focusing oculars); if you’re graduating from smaller binoculars, which commonly use that approach, this may be a comfort. These binoculars are almost lightweight enough to hold them by hand. But don’t do that, at least not for long periods. And don’t drop them. They will go out of alignment if handled roughly. 

Honorable Mention: Barska Cosmos 25×100 (Cost: $230)

They are not pretty, but you’re in the dark, right? Built around a tripod-mountable truss tube, these Barskas equilibrate to temperature quickly and give you decent viewing at rational cost. They make for a cheaper version of our Editors’ Choice Celestron SkyMasters. 

Editor’s Note: These binoculars are not widely available. We suggest this very similar instrument:

Honorable Mention: Steiner Observer 20×80 (Cost: $1,500)

Not at all a practical cost choice for a beginning stargazer, but you can dream, can’t you? These Steiner binoculars are essentially military optics “plowshared” for peaceful celestial observing. 

Why we chose NOT to review certain types

Image stabilized?

Binoculars with active internal image stabilization are a growing breed. Most use battery-powered gyroscope/accelerometer-driven dynamic optical elements. We have left this type out of our evaluation because they are highly specialized and pricey ($1,250 and up). But if you are considering active stabilization, you can apply the same judgment methods detailed in our Buyer’s Guide.

Comes with a camera?

A few binoculars are sold with built-in cameras. That seems like a good idea. But it isn’t, at least not for skywatching. Other than Earth’s moon, objects in the night sky are stingy with their photons. It takes a lengthy, rock-steady time exposure to collect enough light for a respectable image. By all means, consider these binocular-camera combos for snapping Facebook shots of little Jenny on the soccer field. But stay away from them for astronomy.

Mega monster-sized?

Take your new binoculars out under the night sky on clear nights, and you will fall in love with the universe. You will crave more ancient light from those distant suns. That may translate into a strong desire for bigger stereo-light buckets.

Caution: The next level up is a quantum jump of at least one financial order of magnitude. But if you have the disposable income and frequent access to dark skies, you may want to go REALLY big. Binocular telescopes in this class can feature interchangeable matching eyepieces, individually focusing oculars, more than 30x magnification and sturdy special-purpose tripods. Amateurs using these elite-level stereoscopes have discovered several prominent comets.

Enjoy your universe

If you are new to lens-assisted stargazing, you’ll find excellent enhanced views among the binocular choices above. To get in deeper and to understand how we picked the ones we did, jump to our Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose Binoculars for Sky Watching.

You have just taken the first step to lighting up your brain with star fire. May the photons be with you. Always. 

Stunning Celestial Sights, Winter 2016

Below is a list of stunning night sky features to look out for this winter, from our skywatching expert Joe Rao.

The Pleiades – Also known as the “Seven Sisters,” the Pleiades are considered by many to be the most beautiful open star cluster in the sky. On a clear, dark night, stargazers will initially see the Pleiades — located in the shoulder of Taurus, the bull — as a shimmering patch of light. Upon scrutiny, however, observers should be able to see at least six stars of the Pleiades with the naked eye. Some people with acute vision can count as many as 18 stars with their bare eyes alone. But overall, the Pleiades are composed of more than 500 stars and are situated 410 light-years away. As viewed from Earth, the cluster covers an area of the sky four times the size of the full moon. In binoculars, the cluster resembles a handful of tiny, blue diamonds of various brightnesses, strewn on a background of black velvet. Good telescopes will bring out nebulosity around the brighter members of the Pleiades, particularly the star Merope. These are clouds of gas glowing feebly with the starlight they reflect.

The Hyades –The Hyades make up a V-shaped open cluster of stars, marking the face of Taurus, the bull. But because the cluster is more than 2.5 times closer to us (at 150 light-years away) than the Pleiades, even when we look at them with the unaided eye, the stars appear to be spread out. The late intrepid sky observer Walter Scott Houston described the Hyades as “bright with piercing sparkle.” Henry Neely, who lectured at New York’s Hayden Planetarium in the 1940s and ’50s, regarded the Hyades as even more beautiful than the Pleiades. “It is well worth the while to beg, borrow or steal a pair of binoculars to view them — my own particular favorite among all the binocular regions of the heavens,” he said. Indeed, in binoculars, the Hyades fill the field of view in a perfect V formation. But most amazing is that the brightest star — the orange-red Aldebaran, which marks the bull’s fiery eye — is merely an innocent bystander. The star is located 67 light-years away, less than half as close as members of the Hyades cluster. But thanks to the illusion of perspective, it appears to complete the lower arm of the V — one of the most distinctive of all the star patterns in the sky.  

A trio of star clusters– North of Taurus is the constellation Auriga, the charioteer, which depicts one of two distinct shapes depending on how it is viewed. If you include the star El Nath, the brighter of the two stars that mark the tips of the bull’s horns, you see a pentagon. However, if El Nath is left out, Auriga becomes a kite. It’s also home to the sixth-brightest star in the sky, the brilliant yellow-white Capella. Located in Auriga are three pretty star clusters: M36, M37 and M38, which are easy binocular targets. M37 is an exceptional open star cluster, almost the size of the full moon in the sky. It has been described as a “magnificent object … the whole field being strewed as if it were sparkling gold dust.” M38 has an unusual shape, forming an “oblique cross with a pair of large stars in each arm” and one at the center; others say it resembles an inverted Greek letter “pi.” This whole region is attractive in binoculars, including nearby M36, another fine cluster that includes a double star (two stars orbiting tightly around each other).

M41 in Canis Major –The constellation Canis Major, the big dog, is marked prominently by the most dazzling star in the sky, Sirius, the dog star. Situated several degrees below Sirius is another beautiful star cluster known as M41. It’s a scattered cluster, barely visible to the unaided eye. But when viewed in binoculars, these stars can be seen dividing into groups and curves, with a distinctly reddish star near the middle.

Winter Milky Way – Winter skywatchers can take a pair of binoculars and sweep up and down the band of the Milky Way galaxy. Start from just east of Canis Major and Sirius, go up to between the ruddy star Betelgeuse in Orion and the feet of Gemini, swing past the horn tips of Taurus, and move on through Auriga and up into the lopsided letter K of Perseus. You’ll run across innumerable star fields and clusters; it’s nearly impossible to know where to stop!

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York’s Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmer’s Almanac and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for News 12 Westchester, New York.

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A 2013 map of the background radiation left over from the Big Bang, taken by the ESA’s Planck spacecraft, captured the oldest light in the universe. This information helps astronomers determine the age of the universe. Credit: ESA and the Planck Collaboration.

The Big Bang Theory is the leading explanation about how the universe began. At its simplest, it talks about the universe as we know it starting with a small singularity, then inflating over the next 13.8 billion years to the cosmos that we know today.

Because current instruments don’t allow astronomers to peer back at the universe’s birth, much of what we understand about the Big Bang Theory comes from mathematical theory and models. Astronomers can, however, see the “echo” of the expansion through a phenomenon known as the cosmic microwave background.

The phrase “Big Bang Theory” has been popular among astrophysicists for decades, but it hit the mainstream in 2007 when a comedy show with the same name premiered on CBS. The show follows the home and academic life of several researchers (including an astrophysicist). 

The first second, and the birth of light

In the first second after the universe began, the surrounding temperature was about 10 billion degrees Fahrenheit (5.5 billion Celsius), according to NASA. The cosmos contained a vast array of fundamental particles such as neutrons, electrons and protons. These decayed or combined as the universe got cooler.

This early soup would have been impossible to look at, because light could not carry inside of it. “The free electrons would have caused light (photons) to scatter the way sunlight scatters from the water droplets in clouds,” NASA stated. Over time, however, the free electrons met up with nuclei and created neutral atoms. This allowed light to shine through about 380,000 years after the Big Bang.

This early light — sometimes called the “afterglow” of the Big Bang — is more properly known as the cosmic microwave background (CMB). It was first predicted by Ralph Alpher and other scientists in 1948, but was found only by accident almost 20 years later. [Images: Peering Back to the Big Bang & Early Universe]

Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, both of Bell Telephone Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey, were building a radio receiver in 1965 and picking up higher-than-expected temperatures, according to NASA. At first, they thought the anomaly was due to pigeons and their dung, but even after cleaning up the mess and killing pigeons that tried to roost inside the antenna, the anomaly persisted.

Simultaneously, a Princeton University team (led by Robert Dicke) was trying to find evidence of the CMB, and realized that Penzias and Wilson had stumbled upon it. The teams each published papers in the Astrophysical Journal in 1965.

Determining the age of the universe

The cosmic microwave background has been observed on many missions. One of the most famous space-faring missions was NASA’s Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite, which mapped the sky in the 1990s.

Several other missions have followed in COBE’s footsteps, such as the BOOMERanG experiment (Balloon Observations of Millimetric Extragalactic Radiation and Geophysics), NASA’s Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) and the European Space Agency’s Planck satellite.

Planck’s observations, released in 2013, mapped the background in unprecedented detail and revealed that the universe was older than previously thought: 13.82 billion years old, rather than 13.7 billion years old. [Related: How Old is the Universe?]

The maps give rise to new mysteries, however, such as why the Southern Hemisphere appears slightly redder (warmer) than the Northern Hemisphere. The Big Bang Theory says that the CMB would be mostly the same, no matter where you look.

Examining the CMB also gives astronomers clues as to the composition of the universe. Researchers think most of the cosmos is made up of matter and energy that cannot be “sensed” with conventional instruments, leading to the names dark matter and dark energy. Only 5 percent of the universe is made up of matter such as planets, stars and galaxies.

This graphic shows a timeline of the universe based on the Big Bang theory and inflation models.
Credit: NASA/WMAP

Gravitational waves controversy

While astronomers could see the universe’s beginnings, they’ve also been seeking out proof of its rapid inflation. Theory says that in the first second after the universe was born, our cosmos ballooned faster than the speed of light. That, by the way, does not violate Albert Einstein’s speed limit since he said that light is the maximum anything can travel within the universe. That did not apply to the inflation of the universe itself.

In 2014, astronomers said they had found evidence in the CMB concerning “B-modes,” a sort of polarization generated as the universe got bigger and created gravitational waves. The team spotted evidence of this using an Antarctic telescope called “Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization”, or BICEP2.

“We’re very confident that the signal that we’re seeing is real, and it’s on the sky,” lead researcher John Kovac, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told Space.com in March 2014.

But by June, the same team said that their findings could have been altered by galactic dust getting in the way of their field of view.

“The basic takeaway has not changed; we have high confidence in our results,” Kovac said in a press conference reported by the New York Times. “New information from Planck makes it look like pre-Planckian predictions of dust were too low,” he added.

The results from Planck were put online in pre-published form in September. By January 2015, researchers from both teams working together “confirmed that the Bicep signal was mostly, if not all, stardust,” the New York Times said in another article.

Faster inflation, multiverses and charting the start

The universe is not only expanding, but getting faster as it inflates. This means that with time, nobody will be able to spot other galaxies from Earth, or any other vantage point within our galaxy.

“We will see distant galaxies moving away from us, but their speed is increasing with time,” Harvard University astronomer Avi Loeb said in a March 2014 Space.com article.

“So, if you wait long enough, eventually, a distant galaxy will reach the speed of light. What that means is that even light won’t be able to bridge the gap that’s being opened between that galaxy and us. There’s no way for extraterrestrials on that galaxy to communicate with us, to send any signals that will reach us, once their galaxy is moving faster than light relative to us.”

Some physicists also suggest that the universe we experience is just one of many. In the “multiverse” model, different universes would coexist with each other like bubbles lying side by side. The theory suggests that in that first big push of inflation, different parts of space-time grew at different rates. This could have carved off different sections — different universes — with potentially different laws of physics.

“It’s hard to build models of inflation that don’t lead to a multiverse,” Alan Guth, a theoretical physicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said during a news conference in March 2014 concerning the gravitational waves discovery. (Guth is not affiliated with that study.)

“It’s not impossible, so I think there’s still certainly research that needs to be done. But most models of inflation do lead to a multiverse, and evidence for inflation will be pushing us in the direction of taking [the idea of a] multiverse seriously.”

While we can understand how the universe we see came to be, it’s possible that the Big Bang was not the first inflationary period the universe experienced. Some scientists believe we live in a cosmos that goes through regular cycles of inflation and deflation, and that we just happen to be living in one of these phases.

The dwarf planet Ceres, the largest asteroid in the solar system, is round and may contain more fresh water than the entire Earth. NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has been exploring Ceres since 2015. See more views of Ceres in this SPACE.com gallery. HERE:This image of Ceres as seen by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft shows how the dwarf planet would appear to human eyes. This image, released Nov. 18, 2016, was created using images from Dawn captured in 2015 that were then color adjusted by scientists at the German Aerospace Center in Berlin.Read the Full Story.

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Aurorae Choas

Credit: ISRO

Aurorae Chaos, Pyrrhae Chaos and other regions of Mars captured by the Mars Orbiter camera.

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Valles Marineris

Credit: ISRO

Canyon walls clearly show in this image of Valles Marineris.

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Valles Marineris – Large Canyon

Credit: ISRO

Valles Marineris is the largest canyon system on Mars.

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Mangala Valles

Credit: ISRO

Evidence of floods in the Mangala Valles region begin at the Sabis Valles region.

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Mangala Fossa

Credit: ISRO

Mangala Fossa reveals its parallel faults.

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Máadim Vallis

Credit: ISRO

A section of Máadim Vallis clearly shows impact craters.

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Thaumasia Planum

Credit: ISRO

A wrinkle ridge in the Thaumasia Planum regions result from compressional stress.

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Pital Crater

Credit: ISRO

On April 23, 2015 the MCC snapped an image of Pital Crater.

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Tyrrhenus Mons

Credit: ISRO

Tyrrhenus Mons on Mars through the lens of the Mars Color Camera.

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Hesperia Planum

Credit: ISRO

The MCC imaged part of the Hesperia Planum.

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Coma Sola Crater Region

Credit: ISRO

The Mars Color Camera on India’s Mars Orbiter imaged the Coma Sola Crater Region.

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Impact Crater

Credit: ISRO

Southwest of Huygens crater, India’s Mars Orbiter imaged this large impact crater.

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Details of an Impact Crater

Credit: ISRO

The MCC captured these detailed images of an impact crater southwest of Huygens crater.

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Gale Crater

Credit: ISRO

Gale Crater on Mars seen by the Mars Color Camera.

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Tharsis Tholus

Credit: ISRO

This is Tharsis Tholus, a shield volcano on Mars.

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Henry Crater

Credit: ISRO

The MCC imaged Henry Crater.

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Arabia Terra

Credit: ISRO

The Mars Orbiter captured the area surrounding Arabia Terra.

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Olympus Mons

Credit: ISRO

The Mars Orbiter’s Color Camera imaged Olympus Mons from above.

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Full Disc of Mars

Credit: ISRO

MOM returned this full disc image of Mars to Earth.

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Mars Terrain

Credit: ISRO

The Mars Color Camera also captured this snapshot of Mars from a distance of 26,300 km on December 30, 2015.

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Mars

Credit: ISRO

A large region of Mars as imaged by the Mars Color Camera.

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Thymiamata

Credit: ISRO

Thymiamata, one of the brightest desert regions of Mars.

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Valles Marineris

Credit: ISRO

Valles Marineris as seen by the Mars Color Camera.

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Olympus Mons

Credit: ISRO

Olympus Mons, a large shield volcano on Mars, imaged in 3D.

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Mars Snapshot

Credit: ISRO

The Mars Color Camera took this snapshot of a large region of the Red Planet.

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Arena Dorsum Region

Credit: ISRO

The MCC shot the Arena Dorsum Region of Mars with both Cassini and Huygens in the image.

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Mars Global Mosaic

Credit: ISRO

Mars Color Camera snapped the imaged used to create this mosaic of Mars.

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Mars Global Mosaic

Credit: ISRO

A mosaic of Mars from another angle.

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Another View

Credit: ISRO

India’s Mars Orbiter returned a third view of Mars, in a global mosaic.

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Danielson and Kalocsa

Credit: ISRO

Two craters on Mars, Danielson and Kalocsa, were imaged by the Mars Color Camera.

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Masurksy and Sagan

Credit: ISRO

The Mars Orbiter used the Mars Color Camera to image the Maurksy and Sagan craters on Mars.

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Another First

Credit: ISRO

On November 19, 2013, the Mars Orbiter imaged Earth for the first time using the Mars Color Camera.

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In Silhouette

Credit: ISRO

Mars provides the backdrop to Phobos, one of two natural satellites of the Red Planet.

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Eos Chaos

Credit: IRSO

The Mars Color Camera captured the Eos Chaos area which is part of the Valles Marineris Canyon on Mars.

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Arsia Mons

Credit: ISRO

Arsia Mons, a large volcano on Mars, imaged in 3D.

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India’s Mars Orbiter Mission Reaches Mars

Credit: Indian Space Research Organisation

This celebratory image from the Indian Space Research Organisation hails the Sept. 24, 2014 arrival (Indian Standard Time) of the Mangalyaan spacecraft in orbit around Mars.

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India Mars Orbiter Mission Art

Credit: Indian Space Research Organisation

An artist’s depiction of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission, the country’s first interplanetary trek.

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Indian Mars Orbiter’s First View of Earth

Credit: Indian Space Research Organisation

This photo of Earth was the first photo from India’s Mars Orbiter Mission and captured on Nov. 19, 2013. It shows India and the surrounding region from Earth orbit.

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Panaromic View of First Launch Pad with PSLV-C25 During Launch Rehearsal

Credit: ISRO

India’s first interplanetary probe, Mars Orbiter Spacecraft onboard a PSLV-C25 launch vehicle (XL version) will launch on November 5, 2013, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. Here the rocket undergoes launch testing.

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Panaromic View of PSLV-C25

Credit: ISRO

India’s first interplanetary probe, Mars Orbiter Spacecraft onboard a PSLV-C25 launch vehicle (XL version) will launch on November 5, 2013, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. Here the rocket undergoes launch testing.

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Mars Orbiter Mission Trajectory Design (Infographic)

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This infographic details India’s Mars Orbiter Mission trajectory design.

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PSLV-C25 Post Four-Stage Integration

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows PSLV-C25 after integration of all its four stages at Mobile Service Tower. India’s Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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India Mars Orbiter Mission

Credit: Indian Space Research Organisation

An artist’s illustration of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission spacecraft, the country’s first Mars-bound probe, which is due to launch toward the Red Planet in Fall 2013.

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India’s Mars Orbiter Mission Readied for Launch

Credit: ISRO

PSLV-C25 rocket with heat shield closed. India’s first interplanetary probe, Mars Orbiter Spacecraft was prepared for launch on November 5, 2013, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.

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PSLV-C25 Integration at Mobile Service Tower

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows PSLV-C25 in its third and fourth stages of being placed on top of the second stage at the Mobile Service Tower. India’s Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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PSLV-C25 Third and Fourth Stages of Vehicle Integration

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows hoisting of the third and fourth stages of PSLV-C25 during vehicle integration at the Mobile Service Tower. India’s Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013.

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PSLV-C25 at Fourth Stage of Vehicle Integration

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows PSLV-C25 at its fourth stage of being hoisted during its integration at the Mobile Service Tower. India’s Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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PSLV-C25 at First and Second Stages

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows PSLV-C25 at its first and second stages of being hoisted during its integration at the Mobile Service Tower. India’s Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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PSLV-C25 at Second Stage

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows hoisting of PSLV-C25 at its second stage in the Mobile Service Tower. The Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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PSLV-C25 at First Stage

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows PSLV-C25 during the first stage of integration at Mobile Service Tower. India’s Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013.

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PSLV-C25 Hoisted

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows hoisting of an interstage of PSLV-C25 during vehicle integration. India’s Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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PSLV-C25 Lowered into Position

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows one of the strap-ons of PSLV-C25 as it is being lowered to its position during vehicle integration.

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PSLV-C25 Lowered During Vehicle Integration

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows one of the strap-ons of PSLV-C25 being lowered to its transporter during vehicle integration. India’s Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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PSLV-C25 Prep

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows preparation of one of the strap-ons before its integration with PSLV-C25 during the first stage.

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PSLV-C25 First Stage Segments Join

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows the joining of two segments of PSLV-C25 during its first stage at the Mobile Service Tower.

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PSLV-C25 First Stage Integration

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows hoisting of one of the segments of PSLV-C25 during the first stage of vehicle integration. The India Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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PSLV-C25 Two-Segment First Stage Integration

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows two segments of PSLV-C25 during its first stage of being joined in Mobile Service Tower. India’s Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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PSLV-C25 Nozzle Placement

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows PSLV-C25 during its first stage of the nozzle end segment being placed on the launch pedestal at Mobile Service Tower. India’s Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft Pre Test Launch Prep

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This image shows Mars Orbiter Mission spacecraft being prepared for a prelaunch test at Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai.

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Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft Testing

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This image shows the Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft undergoing EMI/EMC testing at ISITE ISAC in Bangalore, India. The Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013.

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Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft Vibration Test Prep

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

The Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft is being prepared in this image for a vibration test at ISITE ISAC Bangalore, India. The Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013.

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Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft Acoustic Test

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

The Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft is undergoing an acoustic test at ISITE ISAC Bangalore, India.

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Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft Antenna Testing

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft antenna undergoing a test at Comprehensive Antenna Test Facility. India Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013.

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Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft Thermo Vacuum Test

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This photo shows the Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft as it is being loaded for a thermo vacuum test in the Large Space Simulation Chamber. India’s Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013.

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Testing the Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

The Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft undergoes testing in this image. India’s Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft Undergoes Testing

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This image shows the Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft as it undergoes pre-launch testing. India Mars Orbiter mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013.

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Mars Orbiter Testing

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

India’s Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft undergoes pre-launch testing. The mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013.

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Mars Orbiter Spacecraft Undergoes Pre Launch Tests

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

Scientists test India’s Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft in this image. The mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013.

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Mars Orbiter Spacecraft Moved for Testing

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

Scientists move India’s Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft for testing. The mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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Mars Orbiter Spacecraft Integration

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

Scientists integrate India’s Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft. The mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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Mars Orbiter Mission Payloads (Infographic)

Credit: India Space Research Organisation

This infographic details India’s Mars Orbiter Mission payloads. The mission is slated to launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Shriharikota, India, 100 kilometers north of Chennai on Oct. 28, 2013. Mars Orbiter Mission is India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.

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Full View of PSLV-C25 on First Launch Pad

Credit: ISRO

India’s first interplanetary probe, Mars Orbiter Spacecraft onboard a PSLV-C25 launch vehicle (XL version) will launch on November 5, 2013, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. Here the rocket undergoes launch testing.

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PSLV-C25 Undergoing Launch Rehearsal

Credit: ISRO

India’s first interplanetary probe, Mars Orbiter Spacecraft onboard a PSLV-C25 launch vehicle (XL version) will launch on November 5, 2013, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. Here the rocket undergoes launch testing.

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India’s Mars Orbiter Mission Readied for Launch

Credit: ISRO

Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft is being integrated to the 4th stage of PSLV-C25. India’s first interplanetary probe, Mars Orbiter Spacecraft was prepared for launch on November 5, 2013, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.

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Valles Marineris Higher Resolution Image

Credit: ISRO

The central part of Valles Marineris on Mars was imaged on Jan. 28, 2015, by India’s Mars Orbiter Spacecraft.

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Valles Mariners Seen by MOM

Credit: ISRO

Valles Marineris canyon on Mars was imaged by India’s Mars Orbiter Mission on Dec. 5, 2014.

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Arsia Mons with Water Vapor Clouds

Credit: ISRO

India’s Mars Orbiter Mission imaged Arsia Mons region on Jan. 4, 2014. Water vapor clouds are seen left of the volcanic mountain.

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Wind Streaks on Mars

Credit: ISRO

India’s Mars Orbiter Mission imaged the Kinkora crater (right) on Feb. 16, 2015. WInd streaks are seen throughout the image, lined up in a NW to SE direction.

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Superimposed Impact Craters on Mars

Credit: ISRO

India’s Mars Orbiter Mission imaged superimposed craters on Feb. 19, 2015. WInd streaks are seen throughout the image, lined up in a NW to SE direction.

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3-Dimensional View of Valles Marineris

Credit: ISRO

The Mars Colour Camera on India’s Mars Orbiter Mission provided data for this 3-dimensional view of Valles Marineris.